


Of Black Cats and Witchcraft

by FedoraFerret



Series: Marichat May 2020 [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Albeit some liberties taken, F/M, Marichat May 2020, The start of one anyway, Witch AU, Written by an actual witch, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:46:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23960971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FedoraFerret/pseuds/FedoraFerret
Summary: Marinette's spell was meant to find love. Adrien's was meant to give him freedom. This isn't quite what either of them had in mind.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Marichat May 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727473
Kudos: 80





	Of Black Cats and Witchcraft

Those who dabbled in magic without knowing what they were doing flirted with danger. It was a truth every budding practitioner either knew going in, or learned very, very quickly. Every spell could have unforeseen repercussions, every spirit had different quirks and tricks and rules for interacting with it. Many a fledgling witch had lost their sense of identity simply for not knowing how to answer when a fey asked for their name.

Marinette, when she first started, had known better. She purchased books, sought out workshops, spoke regularly with the owner of the small magic supply store she frequented thirty-seven and a half blocks away from her house (only twelve blocks from Nino’s, but that was the smallest radius she could get from anyone who knew her without skimping on quality). She started out small, dabbling in minor spells for luck, to boost her creativity, the occasional hex on Chloé or Lila (invoking karmic retribution only, Marinette wasn’t foolish enough to cross the Thricefold Rule even if she wasn’t quite certain of its truth). She made good luck charms as presents for her friends, incorporating stones and anointing them with oils to bring what she thought those friends needed. She purchased a tarot deck that suited her and consulted it frequently before trying any new kind of magic (and also before every decision of any consequence she made, because she was a worrier at heart). She’d been working the craft for almost a year now and she thought she was getting quite good at it.

Which is why she was kicking herself, staring into the far-too-intelligent green eyes of the black cat in the middle of the circle she had drawn, wondering what she’d accidentally invited into her home.

* * *

Adrien, meanwhile, was a cat. He wasn’t certain how he was a cat, or why, or where he even was, but the fact remained that he was a cat.

Well, okay, the “how” was actually obvious, it was magic.

And really, “why” could be explained by “a completely botched spell.” In all honesty, he should have expected it. He’d see The Princess and the Frog, he should’ve known “a spell to bring freedom” would have serious strings, but turning into a cat? Really?

As for where he was, the exact details were a mystery but he had, at least, a general sense. He was in the middle of a ritual circle, and there was a girl in front of him, about his age. The pink walls, posters ( _Jagged Stone? At least she has good taste)_ and loft bed suggested he was in her bedroom rather than a proper, dedicated room for magic. Her room apparently had a fantastic view; the Eiffel Tower was visible through the window even from his current position, suggesting he was still in Paris (or Las Vegas, you never knew) and actually relatively close to his own house. So: bedroom of a teenage Parisian girl who was casting a spell of some kind at the same time he was. Wires crossed, magic interacted weird, Adrien was a cat. Situation understood.

Conclusion: _Fuck, I’m a goddamn_ cat.

The girl didn’t seem happy with the situation either.

“What are you?” she demanded.

* * *

“Mrowr,” was the only answer she got from the cat. Which, fair, it was a cat. Frowning, Marinette slumped backwards and looked at the book laid open at her side. Running a finger along the text, she double-checked everything. Her circle was perfectly drawn (hands of an artist, thank you), her incantation had been flawless (practice of a perfectionist, thank you), her materials were all correct and in order (no credit to Marinette there, that was all her supplier). Nothing about this spell should have summoned _anything_. Its purpose was to help her find love.

A silly, selfish idea, but it was seeming more and more like everyone she knew was finding someone special in their lives; Alya and Nino had been going strong for three years, Rose and Juleka weren’t official but everyone knew, even Lila was dating some British heir (legitimately, Marinette had seen the photos on his Instagram when her compulsive need to find ways to out her rival as a pathological liar last struck). Marinette, meanwhile, was never more than a passing crush, to Nino, to Nath, even to Chloé (that revelation had left Marinette both horrified and flattered and the flattered feeling was, in and of itself, horrifying). So yes, she was going to use magic to point her towards some cute boy or girl she could have things in common with and fall in love with and maybe someday get married and have three children and a hamster.

Instead, it conjured a cat. Or something that looked like a cat.

“… okay,” Marinette said to herself. “Okay. So my spell went wrong. So there’s an unfamiliar being in my room. So what? Maybe it’s just magic telling me that there’s no one out there for me and I’m doomed to life as a cat lady. I really hope that’s it. I mean, I hope magic’s wrong, but maybe that’s just what it’s saying.”

“Mrowr?” Marinette stopped short. She’d thought the cat was too still, too quiet, too intelligent, but somehow hearing the _question mark_ in its voice brought her up short. She looked back down at it. It was starting to move, one paw stepping out of the circle.

“Stop!” The cat froze at her cry and stared at her. “Just… before you do… literally anything…” she racked her brain, running through the information she’d absorbed from books, particularly about conjured things. “Um… do you swear to bring no harm to me or my family?” Whatever kind of spirit it was, if it answered yes (if it _could_ answer yes) then it would be bound to its word to her as its summoner. It wasn’t a perfect oath, but it was better than nothing.

“…”

“If you don’t say yes I’m going to lock you in a cage, then banish you at the first opportunity.”

“… mrowr.” It was a yes. She didn’t know how she _knew_ it was a yes, but it was definitely a yes.

“… alright. I guess… hello.”

**Author's Note:**

> It's still May 1st somewhere! Most of my Marichat May stuff will be in one work, but this didn't really fit in with most of the rest, so I've put it in its own little oneshot. The prompt was interesting to me because I've never given the witch AU genre much mind, but I thought it would be interesting to tackle as someone who actually practices the craft. It's not something I'm interested in pursuing as a full story (right now, anyway) but I did enjoy it.


End file.
